South Korea begins construction on advanced Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine for 2031 Navy delivery.

According to information published by NATE on October 30, 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that the construction of the third Jangbogo-III Batch-II class submarine officially commenced at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Geojedo.
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Artist rendering of the Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine. (Picture source: South Korean Navy)

The ceremony began with the ceremonial cutting of the steel plates that will form the submarine’s hull, signifying the official start of its production. Attendees, including key military and government figures, expressed hopes for the submarine’s successful construction, underscoring its importance in enhancing South Korea's maritime security.

The Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarines represent the latest evolution in South Korea's naval fleet, weighing in at 3,600 tons – the heaviest and largest in the South Korean Navy's submarine lineup. This submarine class surpasses its predecessors with upgraded sonar and combat systems, improving detection capabilities and target acquisition. The vessel is also outfitted with an advanced lithium-ion battery system, enabling extended underwater operations for longer missions.

Notably, the Batch-II series underscores South Korea’s commitment to defense self-reliance. This new line of submarines incorporates over 70 domestically developed components, a significant increase in localization compared to previous batches.

DAPA stated that construction of the third vessel is expected to be completed by 2029, with the submarine undergoing sea trials before its anticipated handover to the Navy in 2031. Additionally, the first and second submarines in the Batch-II line are scheduled for launch in 2025 and 2026, respectively, after which they will undergo evaluation and testing to become fully operational.

The KSS-III Batch II submarines of the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) mark a significant advancement over the Batch I, bringing improvements in size, power systems, combat capabilities, and localization of components. The Batch I submarines, such as the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, have a surfaced displacement of 3,358 tons and measure around 83.5 meters. Batch II submarines, however, increase this to a surfaced displacement of 3,600 tons and a length of 89.4 meters.

Batch II also introduces lithium-ion batteries in place of the lead-acid batteries used in Batch I, offering a substantial boost to submerged endurance and faster recharge times. Both batches utilize an Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, but the addition of lithium-ion technology in Batch II triples the submarine's submerged endurance.

Weapon systems are another area of upgrade. Batch I includes six vertical launch system (VLS) cells for launching SLBMs and eight 533mm torpedo tubes. Batch II expands this to ten VLS cells, enabling a broader range of attack strategies and increased firepower. These additional VLS cells make Batch II more versatile in supporting offensive operations and strategic deterrence, with SLBMs like the Hyunmoo-IV-4.